Document record MAB62607 - NETHER PARK QUARRY, DRUMOAK

A trial trenching evaluation was carried out in July 2018 by MAS prior to proposed quarrying, in Field 1, part of the Nether Park Quarry site (NO79NE0097) which has produced Neolithic and Mesolithic lithics.

A trial trenching evaluation was carried out in July 2018 by MAS prior to proposed quarrying, in Field 1, part of the Nether Park Quarry site (NO79NE0097) which has produced Neolithic and Mesolithic lithics. A walkover survey was carried out by Murray Archaeological Services (MAS) in July 2018 on the three fields of the site (Fields 1, 2 and 3), when no visible archaeological features were found, with only one small waste flint flake found. In the subsequent evaluation, comprised a total of ten trenches were excavated, and a further 17 flints recovered. The flints found during the evaluation were concentrated within a band of grey silty sand at circa NO 7725 9718, suggested as being part of a palaeochannel. Further excavation carried out by MAS in August - September 2018 focused on the area of the concentration of lithics found in the evaluation. Four possible hearths were identified, comprising charcoal spreads with no form of kerb, and one dated to the early Neolithic. A few metres to the south, a series of features formed a shallow arc extending roughly east-west to the south, with two smaller post-pits between the two main groups. This linear feature appears to have been two short irregular trenches constructed to hold a number of post pits Two radiocarbon dates from the fills are Mesolithic. No post shadows survived but many of the pits were 300mm - 400mm in diameter and would have contained large timbers. It is not clear what type of structure these represent. A few other pits were also recorded A total of 503 lithic finds were recorded, almost all of flint, ranging from pebbles used as cores to tools and waste flakes, with a small proportion of the lithics being of quartz and quartzite. None are narrow microliths or microburins of late Mesolithic date. Flint blades are dominated by broad types suggesting that the lithic assemblage is dominated by early Neolithic material. A plano-convex knife from a pit may be later Neolithic. The distribution of flints indicates that Mesolithic and Neolithic people were active across the site. A significant concentration in one area suggests that it was a knapping site. No prehistoric pottery was found. . Radiocarbon dating of charcoal samples, gave some Mesolithic dates (7170-7044 BC and 6588-4645 BC), both in the backfill of features, which were likely on structural evidence, to be of Neolithic date. It suggests that residual Mesolithic material was incorporated when the pits were backfilled. Four radiocarbon samples have dates ranging around the Late Mesolithic/Early Neolithic ranging between 4531-4372 BC and 3924 and 3707 BC, two from part of trench which held vertical posts. Given the lack of Neolithic pottery from the site it is possible that this was a short term encampment or shelter.

Period Notes
Radiocarbon dating: SUERC-84108 (GU49991), charcoal, 5701 +/- 23 BP, calibrated to 4599-4463 BC at 2 sigma; SUERC-84109 (GU49992), charcoal, 5263 +/-22 BP, calibrated to 4229-3989 BC at 2 sigma; SUERC-84110, charcoal, 5633 +/- 23 BP, calibrated to 4531-4372 BC at 2 sigma; SUERC-84114, charcoal, 7663 +/- 24 BP, calibrated to 6588-6454 BC; SUERC-84115 (GU49997), charcoal, 4999 +/- 22 BP, calibrated to 3924-3707 BC; SUERC-84116 (GU49998), charcoal, 3441 +/- 24 BP, calibrated to 1877-1685 BC; SUERC-84117 (GU49999), charcoal, 8101 +/- 29 BP, calibrated to 7170-7044 BC. Three samples failed due to insufficient carbon (GU49990, GU49994, GU49996)

MURRAY ARCHAEOLOGICAL SERVICES, 2018, NETHER PARK QUARRY, BANCHORY, ABERDEENSHIRE: WALKOVER SURVEY 09/07/2018, Walkover Report (Bibliographic reference). SAB7461.

MURRAY ARCHAEOLOGICAL SERVICES, 2018, NETHER PARK QUARRY, DRUMOAK, BANCHORY, ABERDEENSHIRE: ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION, Evaluation Report (Bibliographic reference). SAB7414.

MURRAY ARCHAEOLOGICAL SERVICES, 2018, NETHER PARK QUARRY, DRUMOAK, BANCHORY, ABERDEENSHIRE: WRITTEN SCHEME OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION, WSI (Bibliographic reference). SAB7498.

MURRAY ARCHAEOLOGICAL SERVICES, 2018, NETHER PARK QUARRY, DRUMOAK, BANCHORY: ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCAVATION INTERIM SUMMARY REPORT, Excavation Report (Bibliographic reference). SAB7440.

LEITHS, 2018, NETHER PARK: AN IMPORTANT MESOLITHIC ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE. IN LEITHS NEWSLETTER ISSUE 11, Newsletter (Bibliographic reference). SAB2804.

ARCHAEOLOGY SCOTLAND, 2019, DISCOVERY AND EXCAVATION IN SCOTLAND, NEW SERIES, VOLUME 19, 2018, p. 14 (Bibliographic reference). SAB6524.

MURRAY, HK, 2021, ARO43: NETHER PARK QUARRY, ABERDEENSHIRE: A SMALL MESOLITHIC AND NEOLITHIC SITE ON THE BANKS OF THE RIVER DEE (Bibliographic reference). SAB7544.

Record last edited

Jan 27 2023 11:30AM